Voyager Trike Kit Question Please help

[kvfd35]

Re: Voyager Kits

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Hello, Im new here and hope someone can steer me in the right direction no pun intended. I just had a Voyager kit installed on my 1988 Kawasaki Voyager, 1300, Like the Goldwings. Looks great.My question is, we set it at 1/2 inch preload. When me and my wife are on it, probably little over 400 some odd pounds. Steering it through a curve is a BEAST. I havent really had it in a curve over 35-40 mph because it is so hard to steer, feels like I am going to over shoot the curve. I have road for years. THere is no lean, it is stiff like I would think a trike should be, But it is a Beast to steer, I couldnt imagine riding more than a hour or two, I would be down for days recouping from muscle strain. I have the compressor on my bike, any suggestions on what I should set the front and back levels to, or anything else. I sure hope you all have the answers for me. Its really quite dis heartning right now. Please let me know. Thanks in advance.

BRian

 

[denviola]

Have about 600 miles on my Voyager kit so far, and it was a learning experience. Your bike will handle similarly to a trike, and there is a sticky in the general forum here with lots of good info from experienced riders that I found helpful. As for what worked for me:
Tried small changes to air pressures until happy - ended up with a bit less in the shocks and tires. The Voyager makes the ride a bit rough, so it helps soften the effect.
Learned not to lean into turns (very hard to do) - keep feet flat on floorboards or pegs and butt square on seat for leverage in turns.
Good info on in the sticky about setting up for a curve, then powering through it. Really does work, although I thought it would not at first.
Practiced riding for about 300 miles by myself and then took the wife for a ride. It was like learning over again, with the wife on back the ride changed by moving the center of gravity more to the rear, so some more practice was in order.
The hardest manuever for me is a low speed turn from an intersection, when the road incline changes - moving down hill, turning onto a road that is an immediate uphill. A little practice and you will find the way through these.

A little story may be in order - long time ago my father-in-law brought his enormous Troy-Bilt tiller for me to use. I worked my butt off muscling and wrestling that thing around. He took over and steered it with a couple of fingers, letting the machine do the work and just guiding it. First time I drove the Ultra Classic with the Voyager kit, same thing - death grip, working hard, bumpy, what did I get myself into? Your bike will ride differently with the Voyager kit. Found that when I stopped fighting it and learned the control points for curves, etc. the ride is enjoyable again!

Good luck with your convertible kit.
Denny

 

[Nana]

Brian, this link will take you directly to that thread Denny referred to. There is a lot of great information there for new riders.

http://www.triketalk.com/forum/general-forum/242-experianced-trike-riders-please-post-here.html

 

[denviola]

Brian, this link will take you directly to that thread Denny referred to. There is a lot of great information there for new riders.

http://www.triketalk.com/forum/general-forum/242-experianced-trike-riders-please-post-here.html

Thanks Nana!, Nice place you have here! Lots of good info in that thread!
Denny

 

[trike lady]

Since your bike has front and rear air; the front should have 5-10lbs and the rear shocks to almost maximum. Use normal tire pressure both front and rear.
Make sure that the rear air shocks are at 80% capacity. 20lbs in the Voyager tires.

 

[kvfd35]

Should I look into the rake also? or will this help it enough? Also, where I am new to the trike thing, what and how does a rake kit help?

thanks again.

 

[tfdeputydawg]

Should I look into the rake also? or will this help it enough? Also, where I am new to the trike thing, what and how does a rake kit help?

thanks again.

It changes the trail dimension of the fork system, making it feel like the bike has power steering, so to speak. Useful for trikes or Voyager type systems only. Not to be done if you are going to remove a Voyager type system and ride as a 2 wheeler again!

Rake and trail explained:
http://www.performanceoiltechnology.com/rake_and_trail.htm

 

[trike lady]

kvfd35. Have you worked with the set up instructions I posted? Proper installation is the key to a Voyager handling correctly. I have a GL-1500 and I do not have raked triple trees, but yet I can steer and turn it as easily as someone with the rake kit on their trike. There are three wheels in the rear which offers more resistance when turning.

trike lady Re: Voyager Trike Kit Question Please help

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Since your bike has front and rear air; the front should have 5-10lbs and the rear shocks to almost maximum. Use normal tire pressure both front and rear.
Make sure that the rear air shocks are at 80% capacity. 20lbs in the Voyager tires.